Elizabeth T. Koch, 87, mother of Peter Koch

Elizabeth T. “Dolly” Koch, PhD, 87, a longtime Little Silver resident, died peacefully at home on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2014. Dolly was born in Brooklyn, New York to Frank and Mary O’Farrell. She graduated from Notre Dame College (Staten Island) Summa Cum Laude as valedictorian. She earned two masters degrees and a PhD in Education from Columbia University.

She is also the mother of Meadowlands race secretary, Peter Koch.

Dolly was a longtime member of the Little Silver Women’s Club, the Monmouth Civic Chorus and Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis. Dolly was a devoted educator. She taught at St. James School in Red Bank and retired from Middletown South High School as the Director of a Child Study Team after a 30+ year teaching career. After retirement, Dolly taught undergraduate education at Georgian Court College and was instrumental in the establishment of the West Side Christian Academy of Red Bank. She hosted the first set of Academy students in her home until the fledgling school found a permanent location.

Dolly was a Eucharistic minister at St. Joan of Arc parish at Ft. Monmouth. She is predeceased by her parents, her husband William T. Koch Sr. (1996), her sisters, Margaret O’Byrne and Mary Ann Fortunato and her beloved daughter, Mary Elizabeth Koch in December of 2013.

She is survived by her children, William T. Koch Jr. of Lyme, CT, Peter J. Koch and wife Cindy of Neptune and Susan Koch of Arlington, VA, in addition to 3 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Visitation with the family will be at James E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank, N.J. on Wednesday, May 14 from 2:00-4:00 and 7:00-9:00 pm. Funeral Services will be at 10:00 am on Thursday ar St. James RC Church, in Red Bank.